Help! My Dress Shirt is Too Big in the Back

Help! My Dress Shirt is Too Big in the Back

Does your dress shirt fit fine in the chest but has excess "poofiness" in the back? It's frustrating when you can't find the perfect size shirt. Maybe a medium is too small but a small it too big? Unfortunately, this often results in men choosing shirts that stick out in the back. So, what can you do to resolve this problem?

Choose Slim-Fit Dress Shirts

Among the easiest ways to fix this problem is to choose a slim-fit dress shirt. As the name suggests, this style of dress shirts is designed to hug the body, which should subsequently eliminate some of the poofiness that occurs in the back. If you have an athletic or slim build, then you'll almost certainly want to slim-fit dress shirts. Because they contour to the body, they will enhance your appearance by making you look cleaner and more sophisticated.

Military Tuck

Another helpful tip to reduce back poofiness in dress shirts is to perform the military tuck. Basically, this method involves pinching extra fabric around the sides and tucking it into your pants. Start by tucking the base of your shirt into your pants, and then pinch an extra inch or so of fabric from each side. Now run your fingers across the front and back of your pants to ensure it's smooth and you're good to go! If this sounds too confusing, you can check out the step-by-step tutorial posted on YouTube below. Video: How to Perform the Military Tuck

Have Your Shirts Darted

Of course, the most effective way to eliminate back poofiness in dress shirts is to have them darted. This process involves the removal of excess fabric from either the back or sides, allowing the shirt to fit more snugly when worn. Professional tailors can dart most shirts for as little as $10-$20 bucks, which is a small price to pay considering the profound impact that it has on the wearer's appearance. A well-darted shirt will offer a cleaner, more manicured appearance than an oversized shirt.

Custom Order Dress Shirts

Last but not least, you can always custom order dress shirts to ensure they fit properly. Rather than choosing between "small," "medium," and "large," for instance, you can specify your own measurements when placing the order. Doing so eliminates the possibility of excess fabric in the front, back or anywhere else.